Devastation's Birth

An ordinary man, Damon, finds his whole world turned upside down. A nuclear explosion has decimated Los Angeles and Damon becomes one with an amazing robotic suit. Along the way he picks up some friends as he tries to make sense of what has happened.
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Chapters:

"BLADE, can you project what I am looking at so that Hunter can
see?" I was almost in shock and I wanted to make sure that I wasn't
just imagining things.

On the wall across from me the images appeared, Hunter looked and
his eyes went wide and his usual stoic face changed into one of
horror tinged by fear. Zane jumped out towards the wall and went up
to the images hissing.

"We need to figure out what we are going to do, it looks like the
way we came in was the only exit." Hunter stated, his face now
expressionless.

"Should we try to fight our way out?" I couldn't think of any other
solution. I honestly did not want to fight as I realized I had
forgotten my sniper rifle at the spot we buried Brendan.

"We don't really have any other choice, but we need to create a
defensive position and find some more weapons first." Hunter moved
into the hallway looking for the armory I assumed.

While he did that I started trying to find a toolbox or something
so that I could use the metal bed frames to create a barrier in the
hallway. As much as I looked I couldn't find one and anyway I
wasn't sure how I would be able to get the beds apart.

"In case you haven't noticed I am an advanced robot, I amplify your
strength and can weld too." BLADE interrupted sounding rather
annoyed. I mentally slapped myself wondering why I had not thought
of that before.

I pulled on one of the beds and was surprised when I pulled it out
of the wall and was able to hold it without any great effort on my
part. Hunter walked in with an assortment of automatic weapons and
grenade and just stared in wonder.

I explained what I was going to do and he coordinated the process,
telling me where to put each bed and where to weld them for maximum
effectiveness. All this time the coyotes had not moved at all and
Zane was growing ever more nervous.

We set up the bed frames so that they covered the floor to the
ceiling but left enough room for us to be able to escape if the
coyotes tore through the barricade. We laid the guns and extra
ammunition on the floor where we could reach them quickly and
decided we would sleep, taking turns to keep watch on the door.

After about hour loud bangs started, they came from the door.
Hunter shot up with his assault rifle suddenly trained at the door.
Huge dents started to appear, at the same time one of the coyotes
jumped towards the camera and then the camera showed only static.

Hunter and I looked at one another then turned to face forward our
guns at the ready. I looked over quickly and saw his eyes focused
and his body was tense, with one gigantic thud the door flew out
and I faced the intruders.

The first coyote ran into the hallway fangs bared and growling like
the demons of hell. One bullet fired and it's head exploded,
spraying bits of its brain all over. I shuddered knowing that for
the first time I had killed.

The next three coyotes ran in but one turned and began attacking
the other two with such ferocity that the other coyotes were
momentarily stunned before the began rolling around biting at our
protector.

Two shots rang out from beside me and the two coyotes that were
attacking fell to the floor dead. I raised my rifle quickly to
shoot the remaining coyote but Hunter's hand pushed the barrel of
my gun down.

"Stop, I am searching his mind for clues as to their intent and
origin" Hunter's eyes were glazed over and his voice echoed
unnaturally. The coyote came up to Hunter and I and placed its head
in Hunter's hand without breaking eye contact with Hunter.

-HUNTER-

This thing's mind was unlike any other I had ever entered before.
Normally I found what could be described as a maze of sorts but
this things mind was like a battlefield. Smoke filled my lungs
burning my eyes as I stumbled through craters and an overpowering
heat was tiring me out quickly.

Suddenly I found myself in its core, the place where one's true
identity lies. It was a black orb that looked as if it contained a
storm inside, complete with black ominous clouds and lightning. I
hesitated for a moment then plunged in.

All around me flashes of white rooms filled with doctors stood
around me. I was filled with rage that blocked out all thought and
a sadness that made me want to die a thousand times over.

Then just when I thought I could never get out and that my sanity
would become a forgotten dream, it all stopped. Everything was dark
for a moment and then I saw it, that symbol that has been popping
up everywhere.

I was pulled back suddenly but not before I saw his face..

-DAMON-

I was shaking Hunter hard, he had fallen down and the coyote had
just died. His breathing was shallow and he was shaking slightly.
His eyes shot open and he looked frantically around the room his
eyes full of terror.

He looked at me and suddenly my head felt like it was going to
explode, wave after wave of the most intense pain imaginable
wracked my body. Then it stopped and I saw Hunter had a look of
shock and pain on his face as he stared at me.

"I'm sorry...I didn't expect what I found and I thought you were.."
He trailed off and moved closer cautiously with a look of regret.
My arms shot up and bright lights made my hands glow.

"Come any closer and I will kill you!!" BLADE had taken over and
was trying to defend me. At least that's what it seemed like he was
doing, maybe he just wanted to take the opportunity to get rid of
Hunter.

"STOP!!!" I used every bit of mental strength to slam into BLADE
and try to force him out. The light flickered and died as BLADE
relinquished control to me. I was terrified about what I almost had
done to Hunter.

As we both recovered from the incident we heard a noise emanating
from the tunnel. It sounded like people, well like one person
yelling and many steps following close. Hunter looked at me and
motioned for me to climb up into the air ducts above us.

Just as we got up and shut the metal grate, a line of soldiers
entered. They were divided into three groups and the man on point
for each group led them in different directions as the others. They
searched and upon finding nothing they yelled and a man in a much
more elegant uniform entered with many more soldiers behind him.

He started giving orders and he knelt down to examine the coyotes.
When he did I saw on his back and on the coyote's ear was that
symbol again. The man stood up and looked all around and stared
right up at the vent where Hunter and I were hiding in.

Just then more coyotes ran into the hallway and began to attack the
soldiers. The men all descended into chaos as every man fired
blindly and run at the same time. The coyotes tore the men and
women apart, decimating nearly half of the troops before they all
were killed.

The commander was dead, a woman stepped up, must have been the
second in command, and took charge telling all the survivors to
regroup and move out. In a matter of seconds we were alone once
more.

Hunter and I jumped down after a couple of minutes each of us
searching for anything the soldiers might have left behind but we
found nothing. A sharp noise from the tunnel drew our attention.
There stood one of the soldiers, his eyes wide and his mouth open.